Background:

Quality diagnosis is vital for medical practitioners to make effective decisions about treatment. Access and availability of quality Radiology and Laboratory Services have been a key challenge for the health system. The out of pocket expenditure of the patients on diagnostic tests are increasing and forms the second major segment of such expenditure after medicine.

To address the above issues, Chief Minister's Free DiagnosticsServicesProgramme is envisagedto ensure availability of minimum set of diagnostic services at government health institutions. Under Chief Minister's Free Diagnostic Services Programme CT Scan, X- Ray and Laboratory services will be provided free of cost to all irrespective of APL/BPL status.

Programme Overview:

CT Scan Services:

One (1) CT Scan center is there in Sivasagar Civil hospitals.

Reporting of CT Scan images is through Tele Radiology by the qualified Radiologist. Patient receive CT Scanimage along with report prescribed by a qualified Radiologist. Normal cases will be reported within 6 hours and emergency cases within 2 hours. All patient referred by government health institutions will be provided CT Scan services free of cost.

X- Ray services:

All X- Ray machines available at government health institution (CHC/DH) isconnected through Tele Radiology. The X- Ray image is captured by the Radiographer and is transmitted to Hub through Tele Radiology. The Radiologist available at the Hub will analyze the image and will write report electronically. The report will be transmitted back to the concerned health institution and the patient will receive digital X- Ray image along with report prescribed by a Radiologist. All the patients of government health institutions (CHC/DH) will be provided X- ray service free of cost.

The scheme is for all citizens irrespective of APL/BPL status.

The benefit of free X-Ray facility can be availed by the citizen by visiting the concerned Govt. health institute.

Laboratory Services:

Laboratory services at DH/PHC/CHC is provided free of cost to all through Hub and Spoke model.Sample from all the health institutions will be collected and transported to district laboratory (Hub). At the Hub sample will be analyzed and report will be communicated (electronically as well as hard copy) to the respective health institution.The patient will receive report next day.

Normal case report will be provided within 24 hours and emergency within 3 hours. A total of 56 nos of tests will be covered in Free Lab Services facility under the Chief Minister's Free Diagnostic Services Programme.

Free Lab Services Programme will be implemented through M/S HLL Lifecare Ltd.

Free Drug Service:

One of the stellar initiatives in the health sector launched by the Government of India during the year 2013-14 is the “National Health Mission – Free Drug Service”. It is aimed at providing effective healthcare support to the needy and giving them access to essential medicines free of cost at Government Health Institutions and Hospitals.

Over the years, cost of healthcare in the country has gone up significantly putting tremendous strain on the public, particularly the rural populace. In order to ease the financial burden of the common people seeking relief from various ailments, National Health Mission Assam has implemented the scheme of providing essential drugs &surgical free of cost at all Government Health Institutions. Now in accordance with General ailments, NHM, Assam has also being committed for taking care of their patient from the life threatening diseases like cancer, hemophilia, neonatal, thelesemia, neurological, cardiological, nephrological disorders etc.

The essential drugs are procured in generic form and provided free of cost to all OPD and IPD patients in Government hospitals in Assam. Both the Central and State Government provide budgetary support for this initiative of providing essential drugs free of cost to patients visiting Government hospitals.

In view of Sustainable Development Goals of GoI to achieve universal health coverage, including financial risk protection, access to quality essential health-care services and access to safe, effective, quality and affordable essential medicines and vaccines for all categories of patient , Assam State has notified the modified Essential Drugs List (EDL) where nos. of free drugs has been increased from 238 to 731 (as per strength & dosage form 731 against 407 category) at tertiary level to treat communicable and non-communicable diseases with a broader view to ease the all financial burden of the common people seeking relief from various ailments as well as those diseases where the drug-treatment therapy is found too costly for a BPL as well as APL family. Hence, Government of Assam had implemented the scheme of providing essential drugs &surgicals almost of all categories free of cost at all Government Health Institutions including PHC/CHC/DH/Medical colleges spread over 33 districts of the State and a new EDL has been notified taking the standard of National Essential Drug List (NELM).

1) Essential Drug List (EDL)

The State has its own Essential Drugs List (EDL) on the basis of which procurement action is taken. The facility wise details of the EDL notified by the Govt. of Assam on 05.09.2016 are as under:

2) Drugs Monitoring System:

DVDMS-Drugs Vaccine Distribution Management System has been implemented in Assam since December’2020 with the help of Centre for Development of Advanced Computing (C-DAC) which is a premier R&D organization of the Ministry of Electronics and Information Technology (MeitY) for carrying out R&D in IT, Electronics and associated areas through which Drugs Stock Monitoring System has been done.

The online Drugs Stock Monitoring System serves the limited purpose of ascertaining stock position of various drugs in different health institutions and for initiating action for replenishing stocks as and when needed. Action is taken at state level for replenishment of stock either through fresh infusion or through diversion of stock from a location with a surplus to a location with a deficit.